Friday, 4 December 2015

December

I'm still not ready for Christmas. Presents still need to be bought, made and wrapped, cards remain unwritten, but I'm feeling pretty calm about it all, amazingly. It will be another few weeks before we buy and decorate a tree but I am sneaking bits and bobs down from the Christmas boxes in the loft; a snow globe here, a few miniature pink cable cars there. I'm decorating by stealth. An Advent Calendar is strung along the banister and chocolate is now eaten before breakfast.

A while back I came across a Dala horse letter holder on eBay. I know! Who knew such things existed? It's only at this time of year that I actually need a letter holder so it's really quite useful and just the right amount of kitsch. I have bought stamps, of the Christmas variety - and goodness me stamps are expensive! - and also a poinsettia, which was gratifyingly inexpensive. Little traditions to get me in the mood. Soon I'll be buying the Radio Times.

Bella's homework this week was to make some Christmas decorations for the tree in her classroom. Out came the hama beads in what was one of the most enjoyable homework sessions I've ever contributed to.

I've been doing some festive crafting too, making some tin can tealight holders. They were great fun to make and I'll share them here soon.

Something rather exciting happened this week too - our home was featured in January's edition of Style at Home! I find things like this very surreal and always feel awkward about sharing them, but of course I am thrilled to bits, not least because we are very normal and live in a normal house with UPVc windows and a leaky roof, rather than a period cottage or something, and so it's nice to think that people find that interesting or inspiring. I am endlessly interested in how other people live and decorate their homes and so I suppose it comes as no surprise that others are too. I took some photos - you wont be able to read the text I'm afraid, but I thought some of you might want to see how it all looks.

And no, my house is never that tidy. No-one's is. But it was altogether a really enjoyable experience, and of course fascinating to watch how the stylist and photographer "build" a room, tweaking this and smoothing that, adding props and creating a look that matches the magazine's brief.I love Friday nights, with the thought of the weekend ahead. Tomorrow Bella and I are going shopping together in Chichester while Angus spends the morning with my mum and John works. Tomorrow night I'm going out for drinks with some mum friends from school, and on Sunday I plan to bake and potter. World events and government decisions have caused me to feel sad and frightened this week, and made me want to stay close to home surrounded by family and warmth, cooking and crafting and snuggling. We are so lucky to live as we do, in relative safety and security. I wish you all a happy weekend my friends.

33 comments:

Lovely Xmasy post Gillian and loved seeing those little pink cable cars again. You could have had a morris minor in the bell jar(giggle), but that is a lovely display and I might pinch it if I can find a glass cover similar. Ooh, in the magazine again!!! Must make sure I buy that copy, although I get very few magazines these days. Always look forward to your posts. Have a lovely weekend and enjoy your shopping with Bella. Take care.

How great do your yellow wellies look against the green wall! Congrats on another magazine spread - well deserved. Will break my 'no mags' ban to read the text! A perfect antidote to this crazy season and unsettling world affairs. Happy weekending Gillian xo

With your decorations Christmas will be arriving in your house by stealth, too, I imagine! What a wonderful magazine spread, I'm sure even with tweaking by magazine stylists my house could never look so lovely!

We're doing our compulsory manic clean prior to the decorating tomorrow. Hoping to have the tree up by Sunday. If the cleaning frenzy goes to plan. ;) I saw your article in Style at Home and loved it. Enjoy your weekend lively, Bee xx

The magazine spread looks fantastic. That is so exciting. I love your house. You have such a gorgeous style. Enjoy your weekend. I am forcing myself to switch off from world events - just for the weekend xxx

Congrats on your magazine feature. It looks really nice. I love the idea of a Christmas tree in a classroom. We could never do that here. I'll probably offend somebody saying this, but I wish we could. I hope you have a good, peaceful weekend.

I like your approach to Christmas decorating, a little bit here and there. I wish our homework was making Christmas decorations for the school tree. We had to research sixties songs and re-write the lyrics. We never finished. How exiting to be featured in a magazine, I am exited with you. Stay save and enjoy the weekend with your loved ones. xx

Love your homemade lanterns. I think I may give those a try with my daughter tomorrow. Congrats on another magazine spread. It feels like your last house was JUST in a magazine. Does that mean you'll have to move soon so that another article can be written about you in the next couple of years? :) Have a wonderful weekend!

How exciting!! The magazine feature is fabulous, and you look great in your home - as if you'd been doing this all your live! How did it all come about? I mean, how did the magazine people find you?

The photo with the bowl of oranges (or mandarines/tangerines?) next to the glass cover with the deer, tree and car is my favourite of this set - it is very much "me", the way I would put these things together, too, if I had them.It's lovely to pull out bits of Christmas decoration here and there, and see how it all slowly comes together, isn't it!I feel exactly like you do when you say we are so lucky to live as we do. Sometimes the feeling of gratitude in my heart is overwhelming.

Congratulations on being featured in the magazine, how exciting. I must say you are further along the road towards Christmas than I am, still have to buy my cards and no presents purchased yet. Guess that is what comes of living with three men (DH plus 30 and 27 year old sons) who are bah-humbugs about Christmas these days, sometimes I long for the days when they were small and got excited about the festive season. xx

I bought the magazine last Thursday - your new home looks fab! I like how you've decorated and styled every room and I love that your beautiful embroidered hoops got a special mention. I hope your shopping trip goes well. Have a lovely, cosy weekend! X

I had a moment last night when my husband and boys were discussing football, looking all animated and happy, when I felt a rush of enormous gratitude and love for them and our home life. In these troubling times it does make you feel like drawing close. Your home looks completely fabulous in the magazine - well done! That must've been fun. As usual, I love your photos - your boy on the stairs and the lovely cable-cars. Have a lovely weekend Gillian. Sam x

Hey Gillian,I bought the mag yesterday, and showed you off to my Mum!!! And sure, there's plenty of time to get organised; it's only one day. I'm in Bristol this weekend, hitting John Lewis and IKEA amongst other places. Olly is bingeing on Minecraft in Nanny's room, and I am surrounded by all manner of crap food that my sister eats for a living while still maintaining her trim size 8 figure. I love the advent bunting. And I love chocolate before breakfast too. Have a lovely weekend.Leanne xx

Congrats on your magazine feature. I think I shall go for the bit by bit approach next year, I've not quite recovered from my mad attempt at the beginning of the week to cover the house with Christmas! Wishing you a lovely weekend.

How exciting to be in the magazine. I treated myself to the December issue ( I don't usually buy magazines) and will be sure to get a copy of January's. It's a good read and I do love to have a nosey at other people's homes. X

That's pretty cool to be in a magazine but as you've done some lovely things with your home, I can well understand why they wanted to produce an article about it.We had one of those skies this morning, aren't they wonderful!

Gilian - how modest you are. Something big like being featured in a magazine and you just stick it at the bottom of a blog post! Congrats to you - I know you work hard on so many crafts that make your house feel like a home for you.

Fantastic article! I saw this yesterday and happened to see a copy of the magazine today so I read the article, it is wonderful and you are so lovely about your home! Just as we of course know that you are from your blog. It is a really happy home! Congratulations! xx

Congratulations on the magazine feature! And I'm relieved to hear I'm not the only one with a leaky roof (not that I'm celebrating the misfortunes of others, but you know what I mean)...Decorating by stealth here, too. Usually once the little one's gone to bed. That feels a bit mean, not involving him in everything, but I'm far too uptight to let him start smashing baubles and snapping twigs. Anyway, he got to choose the tree.I do like your little display under the glass cloche and I'm still envying those cable cars from last year!S x

The Hama pud is amazing! Congratulations on the magazine spread, it looks beautiful and so inspiring. I love this type best because although period cottage is gorgeous to look at, it's completely unacheivable isn't it? Not that I have your style either but as least I have a similar house and as a starting point. Love the way you build a room too. It's a definite skill you have!